Starting Work 
Starting Work Also read: Minimum Wage Employment Rights Working time regulations
Age Regulations Time off for study/training Training Opportunities
NVQs Diplomas
When you start your first job you are likely to need to know about lots of different things to do with work.
• SCHOOL LEAVING DATE [BACK TO MENU] By law, the date year 11 pupils can leave school is the last Friday in June. It does not matter when your birthday is, and you are not allowed to finish school at Easter any more. By law, you are not allowed to start working or training full time until after the last Friday in June.
• PART TIME WORK WHILE STILL AT SCHOOL [BACK TO MENU] Part time work is an excellent way of getting new skills and experience which will help when you are looking for jobs in the future. Employers often look at the experience or personal skills you have gained from part time work when you apply for a job. Regulations set out the types of work you can do as well as the hours that you can work and the breaks you must have if you work while you are still at school. Each Local Authority has rules or byelaws which cover the employment of young people. Your employer will need to tell the local authority about your job. You are likely to need a work or employment permit from your Local Authority.
Come and talk to staff in Your Local Connexions Centre about part-time work while you are still at school.
• REGULATIONS [BACK TO MENU] Here are a few of the main points but use the website below for a full list of the regulations covering part-time work while you are still at school
 You can find out more about working time regulations which covers issues such as rest breaks, right to time off and working limits by visiting the DTI's website at www.dti.gov.uk/employment/employment-legislation/.If you would like to have more detailed information you could contact your Local Authority or Telephone:
• TRAINING AND NVQs [BACK TO MENU] When you are looking for a job it's a good idea to think about what you might be doing in the future. Even if a job is well paid when you start, you need to think about what you will be doing and how much you will be earning in a few years time. You might want to think about training or work based learning. Lots of employers like to take on people who are keen to build their skills and gain qualifications which help them in their work. They often ask their employees to take NVQ qualifications.
Come and talk to staff in Your Local Connexions Centre if you want any information or advice about training, NVQs or qualifications.
• NVQ [BACK TO MENU] NVQ means National Vocational Qualification. These qualifications have been developed with the help of professional organisation and employers. They are work based. They test the skills you learn so that you can do your job. This means that you learn at work as well as with a Training Provider or a College. You might go for classes one day a week or you might go for a longer block every so often. You will be able to take your time to finish the course because you will be working at the same time as doing your NVQ. To pass your NVQ you will probably be tested at work by somebody watching you do your job. You will also have to put together a portfolio to show what you can do. You can study five levels of NVQs:
We lead developments in curriculum, assessments, examinations and qualifications visit our website at www.qca.org.uk.
Come and talk to staff in Your Local Connexions Centre if you want any information or advice about training, NVQs or qualifications.
• APPRENTICESHIP [BACK TO MENU] Apprentices work and get paid but if you take this route you will also study for:-
This is a very flexible way to learn. You can take as long as you need so long as you are still under 25. Then, if you finish an Apprenticeship, you can carry on and do an Advanced Apprenticeship. If you do an Advanced Apprenticeship, you might be able to carry on and do a Foundation Degree. Foundation Degrees are a new type of work-based qualification. They can be studied part-time while you are still working. They can lead you to studying for a degree at University. So you can go as far as you wish! You can do an Apprenticeship if:-
For more information about Apprenticeships and Training visit one of these websites:
Come and talk to staff in Your Local Connexions Centre if you want any information or advice about Apprenticeships.
• TIME OFF FOR STUDY OR FOR TRAINING [BACK TO MENU] - Are you 16 – 17 years old? If your answers are Yes, Yes and Yes, you could be entitled to 'Time off for Study and Training'. Young people aged 16 – 17 who don’t have a level 2 qualification are allowed ‘reasonable time off’ with pay to study for a qualification. You could improve your skills and gain a qualification which would look good on your CV and might help you in the future.
Come and talk to staff in Your Local Connexions Centre if you want any information or advice about your right to time off for study or training.
• LEVEL 2 QUALIFICATION [BACK TO MENU] Level 2 includes qualifications such as
We lead developments in curriculum, assessments, examinations and qualifications visit our website at www.qca.org.uk.
Come and talk to staff in Your Local Connexions Centre if you want any information or advice about level 2 qualifications.
• NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE [BACK TO MENU] The minimum wage is a legal right which covers almost all workers above compulsory school leaving age. From the 1st October 2007 the following National Minimum Wage pay rates will apply:
Aged 18-21 inclusive: Workers aged between 18 and 21 inclusive must be paid a development* rate of at least £4.60 per hour (up from £4.45). Aged 22 and over: Workers over the age of 22 must be paid at least £5.52 per hour (up from £5.35).
Important information about exemptions From pay reference periods starting on or after 1 October 2006 the special rules for apprentices will be extended to apprentices aged over 25. This will mean that:
Come and talk to staff in Your Local Connexions Centre if you want any information or advice about the minimum wage.
• TAX AND NATIONAL INSURANCE [BACK TO MENU] When you are 16 you will be given a National Insurance Number. It is your special number, no-one else has the same number so make sure you keep it safe. You will need this number when you start work or if you need to sign on. You will pay National Insurance Contributions if you work and earn more than £79 per week. The money will be taken out of your salary by your employer. Your contributions go towards your pension and benefits you may be entitled to in the future. The amount of National Insurance you pay will depend on how much you earn. You will also pay tax. Your local tax office will give you a tax code. They will tell you how much you can earn before you pay any tax. For the tax year from April 2007 to March 2008 your personal allowance is £5,225. This is the amount you can earn in a year without paying any tax. You may also be entitled to tax allowances because of your personal circumstances or because of the sort of work you do. Tax is taken from the rest of your salary. Staff in your local tax office will answer any questions you would like to ask, they will also help you with any problems. Each year you will get a P60 which tells you how much you have earned and how much tax you have paid that year. You must keep your P60s in a safe place. If you leave a job you need to get a P45 form from your old employer to start a new job or to sign on. This form gives all the information about your tax so that your new employer can get it right.
• PAY SLIPS [BACK TO MENU] Each time you are paid by an employer you are entitled to a pay slip. This can be hand written or printed. It must show
• WORKING TIME REGULATIONS [BACK TO MENU] If you are under 18, even if you have left school and are working full time, your working hours are restricted. The hours you are allowed to work are set out in the Working Time Regulations.
 If you have any problems with working time you can contact ACAS on their helpline, 0845 7474747 or visit the ACAS website at http://www.acas.org.uk
Come and talk to staff in Your Local Connexions Centre if you want any information or advice about working time regulations.
• ANNUAL LEAVE [BACK TO MENU] Currently (March 2007) you are entitled to four weeks holiday time with pay. You might have to take public holidays such as Christmas, Easter and Bank Holidays from your four weeks but this should be set out in your contract. Employers might set out certain times when you can take your holiday time.
• LEAVING WORK [BACK TO MENU] If you want to leave your job you need to tell your employer beforehand. Your contract will tell you how long beforehand you need to let your employer know, that is how much notice you need to give your employer. If your employer wants you to leave your job, you should be given at least a week’s notice or you should get at least a week’s pay, unless you have done something very serious. If you have paid tax and national insurance you need to make sure your employer gives you a P45 form when you leave work. You will need this form if you start working for a new employer or if you sign on.
You might have problems claiming benefit if you are sacked for doing something serious or you leave your job without a good reason. Come and talk to staff in Your Local Connexions Centre if you want any information or advice about leaving work.
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